Tour Helicopter Carrying Five Adults and Two Minors Disappears Near Hawaii, Coast Guard Says
The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a helicopter with seven people on board in Hawaii after it failed to return from a tour on Thursday.
The Coast Guard said in a statement that the aircraft was touring Kauai’s Nā Pali Coast and was due back at 5:21 p.m., but has yet to return as of Friday morning.
Authorities were alerted to its disappearance after the helicopter’s owner contacted authorities just after 6 p.m.
One pilot and six passengers, two of whom are believed to be minors, are on board.
The aircraft has an electronic locator, but no signals have been received, the statement said.
The Coast Guard said it has undertaken various search efforts, including helicopters, search teams and a cutter vessel, though weather conditions have posed difficulties.
“The weather conditions are challenging,” Petty Officer 1st Class Robert Cox of the Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu said. “We have trained crews responding and on scene searching for any signs of the helicopter and those aboard.”
RELATED VIDEO: 5 Dead After Helicopter Crashes Into Cold N.Y.C. River: ‘It’s a Great Tragedy’
RELATED: The Victims of Bahamas Helicopter Crash, Including Billionaire Chris Cline and His Daughter Kameron
Winds are at 28 mph, with 4 miles visibility due to clouds and rain, and the difficult weather is expected to continue into Friday.
The island of Kauai is located west of Honolulu, and is 80 percent uninhabited. Much of it is a state park, and many tour companies offer helicopter tours so that visitors can observe its natural beauty, according to the Coast Guard.
